TCAP Testing is perhaps the most obvious thing that happens each April, If you can proctor we would love to have you call Mr. Wicker and volunteer. Be sure your student gets plenty of sleep and a healthy balanced diet during exams! Studies show that rested, well-fed students do better on standardized tests!

Students will be making their last journey of the year to Warner Parks this month. There are bluebirds in the nesting box, strawberries, lettuce, asparagus, and snap peas in the garden. Everywhere you turn on our campus you are treated to nature in its spring glory!

Gear up for Summer is set to happen May 16th. Don't miss out on the opportunities and prizes that help keep your students learning over the summer months.

Be sure to bring a friend to see our production of the Jungle Book. We received a three year grant that offers the support you need to do a genuine Broadway production. Many teachers, parents and of course the students have worked long hours to bring this production to the stage!

We are excited about making Westmeade into a sustainability magnet. According to the United States Department of Education, a magnet school is a public school that is designed to attract a diverse population by creating an academic focus or social focus on a chosen theme. It has the same governance structure as any other public school. It follows the same laws and regulations, and its teachers, administrators and other staff are required to have state certification.

What is a Sustainability Magnet school?A sustainability magnet school focuses on a everything that makes an impact on environmental health and security. We have been moving in this direction for many years. Starting in 2009 we put in our garden, became part of the healthy schools initiative, began a program of learning about our wild corridor in Westmeade and encouraging wildlife. We are in partnership with Warner Parks Nature Center and with the Bluebird society in fledging blue birds each spring.

We hope you will join us in supporting this new concept. We will be one of the first sustainability magnets in Tennessee and our parents, students and teachers will all be blessed by what we learn as we work together!

Join us to find out how to make real change....

sAs we move toward being a nature-centered sustainability school join us in a 6-week Northwest Earth Institute study pictured here."Living simply so that others may simply live." helps us invest our time in a things that really matter.

The study helps us recognize our choices and how they are driven in a consumer society. "It opened my eyes to so many things I could happily do to make my life better as well as make choices which help the future be better. It showed me how to find my personal power for change and to help make change within my community." Ms. McIntyre. The course length is six weeks. The course book pictured here is available either in paperback form or as an e-book.

We are hoping to have dinner provided each week and childcare as well. We want to make this as easy for you to participate as we possibly can! Contact Ms. McIntyre at Karen.mcintyre@mnps.org or by calling 615-353-2066 ext. 3 We also hope you

Bluebirding at Westmeade

There are now 4 eggs in the Bluebird nest. Students learn to quietly check the nest with a teacher. They feed the parents and wait for the hatching.in 12 to 14 days from the last egg. Bluebirds usually lay 3-5 eggs and incubation doesn't begin until all the eggs are laid. Ms. Langan's boys and girls were the first this year to experience the nest. The male was sitting on the nest when we opened the box. He flew away and after each student observed the nest we put down a birdie buffet of delicious meal worms. Usually it doesn't take long to build trust and the birds get so they realize the children will feed them and they fly right down within just a few feet of them to eat. If you would like to build your own bluebird box. Contact Ms. McIntyre at Karen.mcintyre@mnps.org

Jungle book production inspires bustle of preparation and actvity

Tuesday's and Thursdays find students, teachers, parents all engaged in rehearsals, painting backdrops, making costumes and preparing for the production in May. There is palpable excitement as costumes come together, and parts are memorized.

Don't miss this opportunity to see our students shine. Friday May 12th at 6 p.m. and Saturday May 13th at 2 p.m. Mr. Slinkard, Ms. Vaughan, Ms. Lemon and Ms. Halliburton are dedicatedly preparing the production, and of course special thanks to Ms. Davis and Mr. Breese for pulling this all together

AR party makes big mess!

3rd & 4th grade students who met their goals made stress balls for the upcoming TCAP tests out of cornstarch and balloons. It took teamwork and careful coordination to keep from getting the cornstarch everywhere.Well maybe we weren't coordinated or perhaps we just thought it was fun to watch the powder fly!

We've had more students make their goals and historic numbers hit 25 points this year. When you realize that for a 1st grader to make 25 points means they have read 50 books, you know how cool this is! Students are now earning their points for the last party of the year. It is our Beach Party and if you are a 3rd grader to come to this party you must make at least three of the parties during the year. If you are a 4th grader you must make all four of your goals.

K-2nd graders make Reading Castles and bookmarks featuring jewels and colorful stick-ons! All students who come to the party get to make something special, gets treats to eat and choose from among a lot of prizes. AR is an independent reading program that kids participate in. They earn prizes as they reach and surpass goals that they set with their teachers at the beginning of each quarter.